A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to handling seed, and in particular, to automatic processing of previously harvested seed samples used in plant breeding programs and applications.
B. Problems in the Art
As is well known in the art, corn breeding is an arduous science. The harvesting, handling, and ultimate processing of corn seed samples into packages is an exacting and labor intensive process. Strict standards exist with regard to the same. One important part is the harvesting and handling of breeding seeds. Not only is it crucial to keep track of such things as particular characteristics of the seeds (e.g. genotype, inbred identification, where they were grown); each seed and each seed sample must be carefully handled and evaluated, so that there is a high probability the selected seeds will germinate and so that there is no contamination of the set of seeds comprising the sample of seeds. Only those that meet certain criteria (e.g. undamaged, not diseased, correct characteristics) are used for further breeding activities.
For example, breeding, product development, and product characterization/commercialization processes require the production, evaluation, and use of many samples of corn (Zea Mays). Each sample consists of from one to many ears of corn. Typically, corn plants are grown to maturity in nurseries, and then conditioned and processed in the following separate steps: artificially dried in seed dryers, shelled, the seed cleaned and sized, and then packaged either for replanting or shipment to other locations for yield testing or evaluation for additional breeding crosses. This process must be conducted so that there is no intermingling or cross-contamination of seed samples, and must include a step for removing such things as inert matter, excessively small or large seed, and damaged or diseased seed. This process, from shelling through packaging, is currently substantially manual in nature, and processes samples at the rate of 15-20 samples/person-hour. Each of the steps is usually conducted separately, with non-integrated devices or machinery.
For example, seed samples are conventionally processed as follows. Corn ears are harvested in the field and then placed in plastic mesh bags having some identifying tag. These bags are then dried in dryer bins. When dry, they are manually unloaded and run through a sheller. The shelled seed is then cleaned using any of a number of different methods ranging from cylindrical screens made out of hardware cloth, to flat oscillating screens, or plastic buckets with screen bottoms.
All of these approaches seek to remove small seed and debris. The semi-finished seed is then manually inspected and any damaged or diseased kernels are removed. The seed is then packaged and shipped to other nurseries or counted out into small envelopes in preparation for planting.
All of the seed transfers between pieces of equipment occur by hand, the cleaning operation is performed manually, and the transfer to a package occurs manually. The current manual system requires about 8 people and 8 hours to shell 1000 samples, each containing 8 to 10 ears. If a nursery has to process 4000 samples per day, it will need either 2 shellers operating for two 8 hour shifts with 16 people per shift, or 4 shellers and 32 people to staff the process for one 8 hour shift. It is a significant management challenge to hire, train, and manage 32 part time employees and to make sure that no errors or mistakes occur because of fatigue, operator error, or boredom.
It can therefore be seen that there is a significant need in the art for an improvement in such processing of seed corn. Similar methods are used to process other types of seed samples. It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a seed conditioning process and system which improves over the state of the art. Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention include a conditioning process and system for seed samples which:                (a) provides significant improvement in the time needed to process seeds;        (b) maintains or exceeds quality of current processing methods;        (c) reduces labor costs;        (d) reduces errors or mistakes;        (e) can be substantially or completely automated;        (f) is flexible, can be varied according to need, and allows integration of a plurality of seed processing or conditioning functions;        (g) provides good discrimination between desirable and undesirable seeds;        (h) allows for accurate tracking and identification during and after processing of the seeds;        (i) is economical and efficient; and        (j) is durable;        (k) allows non-destructive, careful handling of seeds and seed samples;        (l) allows communication between those that need to use seed samples and the processing of the samples to assist in the efficiency and intelligence of a wider system involving use of the seed samples;        (m) can include automatic notification or communication of intelligence about the processing and the seed samples to those wanting or needing to know such information;        (n) allows for automated or machine assisted decisions to assist in efficiency and accuracy of the seed sample processing.        (o) Is integratable with a number of functions or processes to reduce labor, expense, time and errors in processing seed and seed samples.        
These and other objects, features, and advantages of invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and claims.